Theresa May presents offer to EU citizens living in UK

LONDON — All EU citizens who move to the U.K. before Britain’s formal withdrawal will be given “blanket permission” to stay in the country for up to two years after Brexit to give them time to apply for official residency rights, Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday.

The offer seeks to avoid a “cliff edge” scenario the day after Brexit when EU citizens’ right to move to the U.K. comes to an end.

The prime minister said this meant no EU citizen in the country before Britain leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019 will have to leave.

The proposal is set out in the U.K. government’s offer to EU citizens resident in the U.K. published Monday.

As part of the deal EU citizens who have lived in the U.K. for five years before a yet-to-be-agreed cut-off date will have the right to so-called “settled status.”

Those who moved to the U.K. before the cut-off date — which will be agreed in the Brexit negotiations and will be somewhere in the two-year period after May triggered Article 50 — but have not been in the country for five years at that time will be allowed to stay until they hit the five-year point under temporary residency status.

The offer also addressed at least one significant concern of EU nationals in the U.K. — that those not working, such as students or stay-at-home parents, must prove they have held comprehensive sickness insurance. That had caused anxiety for some who had not retained the correct documentation.

The U.K. government’s offer, formally set out in the House of Commons Monday afternoon, is designed to address the main concerns in Brussels about EU citizens’ rights, allowing the exit negotiations to move on to questions of exit payments, Northern Ireland and the future trading relationship.

The prime minister laid out nine elements of her proposal, insisting that it was a “fair and serious” offer which guarantees the rights of the 3.2 million EU citizens living in the U.K.

May told MPs the offer would be guaranteed in international law and enforceable in U.K. courts. “We are withdrawing from a system of treaties and bureaucracy which does not work for us,” she said.

The prime minister reiterated her desire for settling the citizens rights issue as an “immediate priority” in the Brexit negotiations. “EU citizens make an invaluable contribution to our United Kingdom, to our economy, our public services and our everyday lives,” she told parliament. “I’ve always been clear that I want to protect their rights.”

But she also warned that the offer was conditional on a reciprocal response from the EU27.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, responded to Theresa May’s offer to EU citizens living in the U.K. by calling for “more ambition, clarity and guarantees.”

On Twitter, Barnier said the EU’s goal on citizens’ rights was the “same level of protection as in EU law.”

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s point-man on Brexit, said “there is at least one element that makes a difference, namely the commitment to simplify existing administrative procedures. However, a number of limitations remain worrisome and will have to be carefully assessed.”

The 3 Million, a group that represents and advocates for EU citizens in the U.K., still has concerns over the offer — particularly the lack of oversight from the ECJ. “Theresa May assured that only the EU citizens here ‘lawfully’ will be able to stay. What does that mean?” it asked on Twitter.

Authors:

Related stories on these topics:

Honest Dave

I’m stunned. A straight and honest report from Tom. I would never have thought it was possible!

Posted on 6/26/17 | 4:20 PM CEST

STAN NADEL

This proposal would screw a lot of EU citizens now living in Britain and is likely to be unacceptable to the EU–and to the Brits living in the EU who would also get screwed.

Posted on 6/26/17 | 4:57 PM CEST

cinceur

@Stan

Speaking as a UK citizen living in the EU, a reciprocal deal would be entirely acceptable to me.

Posted on 6/26/17 | 5:23 PM CEST

tony

stan please explain. it sounds fair to me.

on no account can the ECJ be the supreme arbiter in the UK.

Posted on 6/26/17 | 6:04 PM CEST

Ronald Grünebaum

This would all be part of the withdrawal agreement which is negotiated under Art. 50 TFEU. Logically, the agreement becomes part of the EU body of law which is enforced and interpreted by the ECJ. That is the default position.

On substance the offer is delusional. I cannot see an administration that cannot enforce basic construction rules issuing 3 mio ID cards.

Posted on 6/26/17 | 6:59 PM CEST

Bulale Ali

Ronald Grünebaum

Quite a pettt response.

I think this is a fair offer, as the UK is aiming to be outside the single market and custom union and negatiate a fair trade deal (similar to CETA); than it makes sense for the UK law to be similar to that of non-EU resident. Otherwise this will not be acceptted by other countries (aka Australia, New Zealand, India) who Britain is keen to develop free trade agreement.

It is clear, that is issue is being pushed by the V4 group who citzen make the majority of UK EU citzens. It is clear that if these EU national were to return to ther respective country, it would lead to social and economical upheaveal (especially in Poland).

But it will become clear once Britain has agreed with the divorce bill how keen France and Germany are keen on pressing for current EU migration law.

Posted on 6/26/17 | 7:27 PM CEST

gabriel

Well, well, well… That was better. Much better in fact.
Its not the final deal of course and I will have to look at the details, but with a single strokem a huge amount of uncertainty has been removed from the shoulders of millions of people, a yuuge amount.
Hell, I’m even considering going back to the UK at some point, something completely out of the question until 5 minutes ago.
The only thing is: why on earth didnt she do this before?

Posted on 6/26/17 | 7:27 PM CEST

wow

@Ronald it has already been confirmed in UK Parliament today that any withdrawl treaty would be an International Treaty… you guys just don’t get it do you.

Posted on 6/26/17 | 11:51 PM CEST

alan

The Uk has now made an offer – as far as I understand it all the EU has done is publish a ‘position paper. Now that does not sound like an offer to me

Posted on 6/27/17 | 1:36 PM CEST

MnXalns

Theresa May should consider what deal she wants for British citizens in the EU or what deal those Brits want her to negotiate for them.
She seems to think that it’s clever to try and be difficult about making assurances to the EU citizens in the UK and forget that the agreement will be reciprocal.
What she does to EU citizens in UK will apply to Brits in the EU.

Posted on 6/28/17 | 5:02 PM CEST

Europeann

Without EU citizens, particularly those doing the menial jobs required to keep London afloat, London would collapse. Unless the Brits take to the pickax, the hoe, the jackhammer, the mortarboard, the shovel, the hammer — and start doing the jobs foreigners have been doing for decades to maintain the lifestyle of the rich.

Conversely, I want to see all British Civil Servants leaving the EU´s institutions. They have enjoyed fat salaries and benefits, plus top schools for their children. Let them all go back to the UK. Tit-for-tat.
And while at it, all British pensioners sunnying themselves on Southern European coasts should also leave and get their health care at the expense of the NHS, instead of EU´s generous program. Theresa May is asking for trouble on several fronts!